when you've got everything you need—your body and about 20 feet of space—at home? Problem is, you've also got a sink full of dishes, a pile of bills, and so many shows to catch up on, all of which can make an all-out workout seem next to impossible. Now, we can't do your dishes for you, but we can help you get the best workout of your life—at home.

Why do gyms have scales? So you can keep track of your progress, and stay motivated. Likewise, you need to chart your progress at home to really get revved. Whatever your get-fit goal, divide it up into several small tasks that you have full control over and can easily measure yourself against. Consider this: Set a goal to complete four to five full workouts a week. You'll get instant gratification every time you can cross one off your list.

Just because you work out at home doesn't mean you can't have a workout buddy. Enlist a super-fit friend to keep you pumped. If you run, bike, or get your plank on next to someone slightly faster or stronger than you, you'll push yourself harder and get fit faster, according to research from Thomas Plante, Ph.D., a professor in psychology at Santa Clara University. Your workout buddy doesn't even have to be human: A study from the University of Missouri found that overweight participants who walked dogs for 20 minutes five days a week lost an average of 14 pounds a year.

Sure, there's a benefit to having your dinner baking while you're burpee-ing, but the drawback is bigger: Since our brains have cognitive limits, multitasking results in us doing neither task as well as we should, according to research published in the journal NeuroImage. It's better to focus on a short workout—and hit it hard—than multitask during a longer one, says Rachel Cosgrove, CSCS, trainer and owner of Results Fitness. Likewise, if you're a fan of reading a magazine while you tromp on the treadmill, put it away (even if it's WH!). Keeping your head up will help you maintain proper form and score best workout possible.

The right visual can get you revved to work out—even when the couch looks a whole lot comfier. "Have your goal written somewhere you'll see it everyday," says Cosgrove. This could mean a memo on your refrigerator, an alert on your phone, a yoga mat in your living room, or all of the above. Take it to the next level by displaying pictures on your fridge, desk, or workout area, showing what you want to achieve. Seeing a bunch of strong, healthy women every day will give you a real goal to work toward. Get clipping on the latest issue of Women's Health (after reading it, of course!) or check out the WH FITspiration Pinterest board.

Share your fitness journey with friends online. Once you start posting your progress, it won't be easy to stop, Cosgrove says. Whether you're excited to post a before/after photo or sharing a healthy (and yummy!) new recipe, sharing your progress and scoring support is rewarding. What's more, you can use social media to snag some helpful tips and moves from fellow at-home buffs, says sports psychologist Clive M. Jones, Ph.D., assistant professor of Health Sciences & Medicine at Bond University in Australia. Take on the next Women's Healthweekend challenge on Facebook and let 300,000+ fans pump you up.

"Focusing on things other than the exercise distracts us from the discomfort of physical exertion," says Jones. Do that, and you'll work out harder, fast, and better. The right playlist can up your workout performance by 15%, according to a 2005 study from Brunel University's School of Sport and Education. Up your speed and you'll up your calorie burn. Plus, rocking out while exercising can get your endorphins flowing big time, helping you get that workout "high" that will keep you coming back for more. But not any song will do: Choose tunes in the bpm sweet spot—120 to 140 bmp (think: Maroon 5's "One More Night") to fire you up when you usually just want to throw in the towel.

When you aren't tied to a gym, the whole world is your playground, making fitness a whole lot more fun. When you're distracted by constantly changing scenery, you're less aware of how many stairs you've climbed or how much your hamstrings burn, Jones says. Factor in wind, temps, and terrain, and you can torch up to 7 percent more calories just by trading the gym's treadmill for Mother Nature's trails. Plus, the mental benefits can keep you coming back for more: A 2007 study from English researchers found that 71 percent of outdoor exercisers feel less tense after walking outside for 30 minutes, while 72 percent of indoor exercises feel even more stressed after walking inside.